Star Kingdom of Manticore
Star Geography Star Kingdom of Manticore is an interstellar state, located 512 light-years from Earth to the north. Its capital system of Manticore contains three inhabited planets: Gryphon, Sphinx, and the capital planet Manticore, where the capital city of Landing is located. There is an asteroid belt in orbit around Manticore-B, dubbed the Unicorn Belt. Colonial Period Founding the colony The original Manticoran colonists left Earth on 24th October 775 PD. They were aboard the sub-light hibernation ship ''Jason'' heading for the binary star system Manticore. This distant system composed of G0- and G2-class stars lies about 512 light years from Earth. Planets were first recognized in Manticore system by astronomer Sir Frederick Clarke in year 562 PD. The majority of the colonists are from Earth's Western Hemisphere. Jason's journey lasted 640.5 years, though for the colonists it was only 384 subjective years due to time dilation. According to Dr. Pineau's hibernation technology, colonists were awoken 7 times to refit their condition. The colonists originated from various regions of Earth. About 60% came from Western Europe, most of the others from North America and Caribbean. The expedition also included a small group of Ukrainians. Manticoran colonization expedition was arranged from over 50,000 people. To ensure that Manticore would remain unoccupied when Jason arrived, information about the Manticoran system was safely deposited to Earth's maximum security databanks. Also, the colonists' leader Roger Winton founded the Manticore Colony Trust and the Manticore Colony, LTD. MCT invested the remaining money (after dispatching the expedition it was about one billion eurodollars) and use the interest to look after Manticore for its colonists. The Jason arrived in the Manticoran system on 21st March 1416 PD. However, the colonists were surprised to find human habitation on Manticore. Fortunately, it was a base paid from the MCT, including four frigates guarding the system from pirates and illegal habitants. These frigates were later the first starships of Manticoran Navy. The Plague of 1454 Manticore was one of few star systems where a virus existed which was capable of attacking humans. The primary exploration company, Franchot et Fils, had not discovered the presence of the virus. There are speculations that the virus has mutated between Manticore's discovery and colonization or that the colonists have brought the virus aboard Jason. The virus caused respiratory infections similar to influenza and pneumonia. The virus had a high mortality rate, killing off 60% of the population before a vaccine was developed. Establishment of the Kingdom With the colony floundering, Manticore desperately needed new blood. Original colonists however feared of losing the rule over their own colony if thousands of new colonists came. And so, before opening Manticore to immigration, they rewrote the Constitution, establishing a constitutional monarchy. Roger Winton, Colonial Administrator for over fifty years, was old and his wife and both sons died during the Manticoran plague. His daughter Elizabeth I Winton fortunately survived and had her own children. Both Elizabeth and Roger were successful officers and proved themselves in the services for the colony many times. The orginal colonists therefore elected the Winton family as the Royal House of Manticore, with Roger Winton becoming the first King of the new Star Kingdom of Manticore. Roger Winton was coroneted as King of Manticore on 1st August 1471 PD, but died 1474 PD. Elizabeth Winton took over power and became Elizabeth I. The House of Winton has ruled Manticore continuously since. The original colonists and their descendants, who were owners of large estates over Manticore acquired noble titles and became the first hereditary aristocracy of the new Star Kingdom of Manticore. Immigration Policy The new wave of immigrants that arrived after the plague consisted of three various classes. Every immigrant obtained a credit of value equal to 2nd class-ship ticket price from Solarian League to Manticore. This credit would be converted into an equivalent piece of land on a planet's surface or as a share in some orbital industry. Most of the immigrants decided for estate, but a few smartly invested into orbital industry. During the Manticoran industrial-boom the value of these enterprises grew enormously. Every passenger capable of paying for the flight to Manticore himself or herself had after arrival had at his or her disposal the full credit. For those who couldn't, they could draw a loan from the MCT. Immigrants who had funds greater than the cost of the ticket also had the opportunity to put their money into estates or industry while paying only half-price of the real value of the shares. Thus, these richest immigrants became the secondary shareholders and their holdings were often as large as primary shareholders. Size of their property authorized them to acquire noble patents, but with a lower status then primary colonists. Modest immigrants, who retained their base land credit but could not afford to purchase much more became yeomen, and after one Manticoran year (1.73 standard Terran years) received right to vote. Those who required loans from the MCT obtained citizenship after they were able to pay taxes for five Manticoran years, or 8.7 Terran years. All citizens have equal rights guaranteed by the constitution, whether one has voting rights or not. However, shareholders, yeomen and pauper immigrants formed distinct social differences. This differences survive into modern times, as people whose ancestors were yeomen or even shareholders, is respected much more than a descendant of poor immigrants. After making up the losses from the Plague, this system was abolished. Recent history Manticore Wormhole Junction After the discovery of a wormhole junction in 1585 PD, the Star Kingdom's gross system product rose rapidly. By 1900 PD, the 'GSP' was seventy-eight percent of what the Solarian League's GSP. (On Basilisk Station) Gryphon Uprising Occurring in 1721 PD, the Gryphon Uprising was the only armed internal conflict in Manticoran history. Gryphon is the least amiable planet of the Manticoran system and was colonized last. Consequently, it has the lowest portion of the primary shareholders of all three planets, as the first colony on Gryphon was established fifteen years after Manticoran plague. The core of the local aristocracy is made by the secondary shareholders, whose estates were often much smaller than primary shareholders'. The Crown, in order of to support immigration, declared the Crown's Range Charter in 1490, stating that after reaching a stated population number, the district will be divided between the colonists. Until then, the colonists will sublet the soil for free, as public property. The required population was reached in 1715 PD and the Crown began to divide the range and assign titles of nobility. Everyone gained a portion of land, whose size depended how much the land was improved. However, the yeomen, hopeful about becoming independent cattle breeders, farmers, or miners, were complaining of the planetary aristocracy. Claims of bribery, coercion, threats, and violence were reported, all of which was aimed at expanding a noble's claim at the expense of another's. For two years, a shooting incidents similar to the Lincoln County War ran rampant. After two years, a special committee was formed to investigate the situation. The committee's findings proved the yeoman's complains and after quieting the conflict by the army, it oversaw a strictly regulated privatization of the district. Some reluctance between the offspring of the primary shareholders and the immigrants survives today, but is typically a tradition. Annexation of the Basilisk System The Basilisk star system lies on galactic north from Manticore, at approximately 210 light-years. In In 260 AL, a sixth terminus to the Manticore Wormhole Junction was discovered. Basilisk has single habitable world, called Medusa. Due to the terminus being in the system, Manticore annexed the system under the Act of Annexation. Manticore had always pursued a policy of annexing a terminus as a security measure. There was an extra emphasis on this policy due to the growing Havenite threat. There was fierce Manticoran internal debate over annexation. After few years of political frictions between sticklers (King Roger III, the Centrists and the Crown Loyalists) and opponents (the Liberals and the Progressives), the Star Kingdom declared protectorate over Medusa and guaranteed the rights of the local natives - the Medusans. In order to achieve this though, a policy compromise had to be reached, resulting in a muddled military and political landscape that would later haunt the system. The decision to annex Basilisk later proved correct as it twice became target of Haven's military. The first occurred few years before first Havenite-Manticoran war outbreak, in 1900 PD; the second one was part of larger Havenite offensive - Operation Icarus in 1913 PD. In 278 AL, Parliament amended Section 10, Subsection 3 of the Commercial Regulations to any commercial transfer in Manticore space requires an inspection. Relations with Grayson In 1903 PD, Manticore started to send money and supplies to the planet of Grayson in an effort to build another ally against the People's Republic of Haven. Admiral of the Green Raoul Courvosier was sent as a diplomatic envoy and with a convoy of merchant vessels filled with supplies. (The Honor of the Queen) See also: The First Havenite-Manticoran War The Second Havenite-Manticoran War Government Original Constitutional Government The constitutional monarchy system worked well for next five centuries thanks to many apt rulers and a continuously growing population. The Constitution contains clearly defined Declaration of Human Rights, though the right to vote is applicable to citizens who have been paying taxes for five years. Policies that encouraged immigration ended fifty years after its declaration. The Parliament The Star Kingdom has a bicameral Parliament, consisting of the House of Lords and the House of Commons, with the Commons being the junior of the two houses. Both houses have the power of self-veto (one is able to cancel resolution of the other). The King or Queen - whose office is orderly marked as the Crown - also has power of veto and can also introduce legislation to Parliament. The Cabinet The role of managing government services in the Star Kingdom is handled by the Royal Council, informally called the Cabinet. The Cabinet comprises of Prime Minister, individual ministers, Lord Prince Seal, and the Heir of the Throne, with the current monarch presiding. The Crown reigns over the Star Kingdom through the Cabinet, but the King or Queen also often listens to the advice of his or her ministers. The Prime Minister is traditionally member of the House of Lords, but he has to maintain a majority in the House of Commons and he should (but don't has to) do so in House of Lords. The Prime Minister and the Cabinet set economic, financial, and foreign policy. The crown can also suggest what the national budget should be, but only the Lords may introduce legislation in that regard. The budget must be agreed by both Houses. The Crown The Crown has power to grant amnesty and commute punishment. With the approval of the House of Lords, the Crown may designate the ministers and judges. The Crown can expound Constitutional law by its delegates in the Royal Court if not being vetoed by both Houses. The Crown has power to grant noble titles, but a nobleman can't become a peer without agreement of the House of Commons. Judicial Department The Queen's Bench is a high court of law, and the Admiralty Court oversees vessel salvages, seizures, and captures. Constitutional Insurances The main insurance of the common people to influence politics are ability of the House of Commons to refuse the annual budget, the constitutional statement that the Prime Minister has to hold support of the majority in the House of Commons, and power of the Parliament to depose the monarch. The Manticoran monarch, as is usual in most other monarchies, can be deposed for committing a crime or loosing ability to reign, such as through disability. However, the Manticoran system goes even further. An investigation of the Monarch can be started for any reason, including such as high crimes, if two-thirds of the House of Commons agree. The House of Lords itself cannot initiate an investigation. Lastly, to insure that the Crown does not lose contact with the common person, the heir to the throne can marry only with a non-aristocrat. Internal Policy The Executive Branch was originally intended to be manifested through the Royal Council, but the things went another way. The authors of the Constitution didn't mean to give the many executive powers to the Crown. However, Elizabeth I was very cunning politician, and she soon realized that the Manticoran Lords are rather spokesmen of various interest groups than statesmen. By deft political maneuvering Elizabeth set precedents which gave her unquestionable control over the Royal Council and even the Prime Minister. For instance, the Crown now cannot be forced to nominate anyone to the Royal COuncil against her will. Through instances such as these, the Crown has been transformed from a figurehead to a strong executive branch in one person. It took some time for the nobility to realize that the Crown took over most of the powers they hoped to adopt for themselves. They also realized that Elizabeth I. was becoming very popular with the poor immigrants and yeomen (and thus in the House of Commons). After that, the Lords began to found the real political parties. Manticoran Political Parties The political parties that emerged were based on old personal factions, but they differenced themselves in their ideological visions. They strengthened their structure and power for some time and began to find allies also in the House of Commons. Leaders of the parties were almost always from the House of Lords. The six major parties in existence circa 1900 PD are: *''Centrist Party'' *''Crown Loyalist Party'' *''Liberal Party'' *''Conservative Association'' *''Progressive Association'' *''New Men Party'' Military See the Royal Manticoran Navy. Star Kingdom of Manticore Category:Star nations